Assessment of nitrogen content in buffalo manure and land application costs

Autor: Salvatore Faugno, Stefania Pindozzi, Roberta Infascelli, Collins Okello, Maria Nicolina Ripa, Lorenzo Boccia
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2012
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Agricultural Engineering, Vol 43, Iss 2, Pp e13-e13 (2012)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1974-7071
2239-6268
DOI: 10.4081/jae.2012.e13
Popis: Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) livestock for mozzarella cheese production plays a fundamental role in the economy of southern Italy. European and Italian regulations consider nitrogen content in buffalo manure to be the same as that of cattle manure. This study aimed to assess whether this assumption is true. The first aim of the study was to assess nitrogen content in buffalo manure. Samples were taken from 35 farms to analyse nitrogen and phosphorous concentration in the manure. Analysis confirmed a lower nitrogen concentration (2%) in buffalo manure. A secondary aim of the study was to evaluate whether manure application techniques that are apparently less suitable, e.g. splash plate spreader, could be feasible. The cost of different methods of land application of manure and their characteristics were evaluated on the basis of one operational cycle. Considering losses for volatilisation, and taking into account cost assessment, the immediate incorporation of buffalo manure (nitrogen content 2%) is a suitable method of ammonia volatilisation. However, it is expensive and involves high fuel consumption in relation to the environmental benefit.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals